Work holding attachment for knitted material sizing machine



July 4, 1961 A. FIDUCCIA 2,990,984

WORK HOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTED MATERIAL SIZING MACHINE Filed April 30, 1958 Anthony F iduccia INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofice 2,990,984 WORK HOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTED MATERIAL SIZlNG MACHINE Anthony Fiduccia, 209 MacArthur Ave., Garfield, NJ. Filed Apr. 30, 1958, Ser. No. 731,965 3 (Ilaims. (Cl. 223-69) This invention relates in general to sizing machines and pertains more particularly to certain improvements therein permitting a more expedient use of such sizing machines.

Sizing machines of the type herein under consideration conventionally include a horizontal steaming table upon which fabric,'particularly knitted fabric is adapted to be placed to be subjected to the action of the' steam from the table and, while being so treated, also being stretched to a desired size so that the steaming and subsequent drying operations will properly size the fabric. Such conventional constructions normally utilize a carrier bar placed along one side of the steaming table and having thereto a pair of spaced arms which overlie the steaming table in close'adjacency thereto and which from the action of the steam and requires the placement and removal of the two-by-four for each piece of fabric being treated. Thus, the conventional device is cumbersome and of time consuming characteristics. It is therefore of primary object of this invention to provide improvements to replace the conventionally used two-byfour for holding down the end edge of the fabric against the steaming table which will relieve the operator of the necessity for removing and replacing the two-by-four.

Another object of this invention is to provide improvements of the character described incorporating a clamping element carried between theusual spacing arms provided on a sizing machine so as to conveniently and automatically effect a clamping action upon the end edge of an associated garment or the like.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an assembly for use in conjunction with a pair of conventional spacer arms utilized on a sizing machine, such attachment consisting of a pair of generally L-shaped slidably telescoped elements having means for connection at opposite ends thereof to the spacer arms, the slidable telescoping of such elements permitting thenormal separation and movement of the spacer arms and the L-shaped configuration of the device permitting a rather narrow edge to be utilized in clamping the fabric to the table.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside inthe details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of a sizing machine with the invention in operative position thereon;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged exploded perspective view, illustrating the component parts of the invention; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 33 in FIGURE 1 showing certain details of construction of the device.

FIGURE 1, generally by the reference character 30 and 2,930,984 Patented July 4, 1961 Referring more particularly to FIGURE 1, the reference numeral 10 indicates in general a steam table of conventional construction such as is utilized in a conventional type of sizing machine. In FIGURE 1, the cloth covering for the table is indicated by the reference character 11 having the usual weight elements 12, 113 and 14 associated therewith to hold the cover taut on the steaming table itself. Operatively mounted on the frame of the sizing machine as by elements 15 and 16 isa carrier bar indicated by the reference character 17 the same having a series of vertical openings'18 therethrough to selectively receive pin elements 19 carried by the mounting blocks 20 and 21 for permitting the mounting blocks to be adjusted along the length of the carrier bar 17, as desired.

A pair of spacer arms 22 and 23 are disposed in and project from transverse bores in the mounting blocks 20 and 21 and set screws 24 and 25 are provided on the mounting blocks for the purposeof rigidly clamping'the spacer. arms in the bores of the blocks. The spacer arms 22 and 23 project horizontally, in close adjacency and in overlying relationship to the steaming table 10, as shown, and are adapted to have slipped thereover a length of tubular material indicated by the reference character 27.

' All of the foregoing structure is of conventional nature and is old and well known in the art. During normal operation of the device, the mounting blocks 20 and 21 are positioned in predetermined relationship on the carrier bar 17 and the material 27 is slipped over these arms so as to be held in stretched condition therebetween. Thereafter, a piece of lumber is placed over the marginal edge portion 128 of the material 27 so asto hold the same against the upper surface of the steam table 10 whereupon steam is applied to the material or fabric to size the same. The use of the two-by-four is time consuming and cumbersome, this same being loose and necessitating removal and replacement of the two-by-four as each garment or piece of material is treated.

The device forming this invention is indicated, in

is shown more clearly in FIGURE 2. The device includes a pair of clamping elements indicated in FIGURE 2' generally by the reference characters 31 and 32, each of which is of generally L-shaped configuration having a substantially horizontally disposed leg 33 and a vertical leg 34 depending therefrom. The clamping element 32 is provided with corresponding legs 35 and 36. Each of the vertical legs 34 and 36 is provided with a terminal end portion such as that indicated by the reference character 37 in conjunction with the clamping element 32 in FIGURE 2 which end portion extends beyond the terminal end edge 38 of the corresponding horizontal leg 35 and is laterally bent rearwardly with respect thereto so as to project beyond the rear edge 39 of the horizontal leg 35, in the manner clearly illustrated. In this rearward region of the terminal end portion 37, a pair of apertures 40 and 41 are provided, the aperture 41 preferably being vertically elongated for a purpose presently to be described.

Associated with the terminal end of each of the vertical legs is a slide block such as that indicated by the reference character 42 in FIGURE 2 which is provided with a pair of intersecting bores 43 and 44, the latter of which is threaded to receive a setscrew 45 and the former of which is adapted to receive therein a corresponding spacer arm 22 or 23. The setscrew 45 serves to engage the corresponding spacer arm and hold the slide block in fixed position thereon. On the inner face 46 of each slide block, as shown in FIGURE 3,

there are provided internally threaded bores registering with the apertures 40 and 41 and receiving therein fasteners 47 and 48 for the purpose of firmly affixing the terminal end portions 37 of the corresponding vertical legs to the slide blocks. Suitable washers 49 and 50 may be provided on the fasteners 47- and 48.

The overlapping inner end portions of the two clamp.- ing elements 31 and 32 are provided with longitudinally extending slots 51 and 52 which are in registry with each other and receive therethrough the stud 53. The latter is carried by a locking plate 54 and is provided at its upper end with, a wing nut 55. The purpose of the locking plate and stud is to frictionally hold the two clamping elements 31 and 32 together While permitting the wing nut to be loosened so that the two clamping elements may be telescoped relative to each other, the clamping elements being in nested relationship as is clearly shown in FIGURE 3.

The lower edges of the vertical legs 34 and 36, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 3, are stepped as indicated by the. reference characters 60 and 61 so as to present relatively narrow lower edges 62 and 63 which are adapted to bear against the fabric 27 and hold the same against the steaming table 10. It is preferred that the edges be as narrow as possible so as to prevent blanking off any substantial area of the material during the steaming operation. The previously mentioned elongated openings 41 in the terminal end portions 37 of the clamping elements are for the purpose of affording the clamping assembly of a slight pivotal movement to vary the pressure of the same against the material. In the operation of the device, the fabric 27 is slipped over the spacer arms 22 and 23 in the normal manner with the marginal edge 28 disposed beneath the assembly so that the edges 62 and 63 bear thereon and hold the same against the table. This leaves the operator free to per form the necessary operations without requiring the operator to remove or replace a two-by-four every time a new piece of garment is inserted over the spacer arms.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a knitted material sizing machine, the combina tion of a rigid supporting bar, a pair of blocks adjustably mounted on said bar for movement toward and away from each other, a pair of spreader arms connected at one end thereof to the respective blocks for movement therewith, the other end portions of said arms being free and adapted to receive material. to be sized thereon, an elongated material clamping member extendingbetween said arms, and adjustable means connecting the ends of said clamping member to said spreaderarms for movement toward and awayfrom said blocks, said member including a pair of slidably telescoped sections adapted to be extended and contracted to vary the length of the clamping member when said blocks are moved away from and toward each other respectively on said bar.

2. In a knitted material sizing machine, the combination of a supporting bar, a pair of supporting blocks adjustably mounted on said bar for movement toward and away from each other, a pair of spreader arms connected at one end thereof to the, respective supporting blocks for movement therewith, the other end portions of said arms being free and adapted to receive thereon material to be sized, a pair of side blocks adjustably mounted on intermediate portions of said arms for movement toward and away from said supporting blocks, an elongated material clamping member extending between said side blocks, and means adjustably connecting the ends of said clamping member to the respective side blocks whereby the material-contacting surface of said clamping member may be swung out of the plane containing said arms and about an axis parallel to said supporting bar, said clamping member including a pair of slidably telescoped sections adapted to be extended and contracted to vary the length of the clamping member when said supporting blocks are moved away from and toward each other respectively on said bar.

3. The device as defined in claim 2 together with means for. locking the sections of said clamping member in a pre-adjusted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 346,507 Smith Aug. 3, 1886 513,073 Bohlinger Jan. 23, 1894 991,084 Piquette May 2, 1911 1,156,482 Vensen Oct. 12, 1915 2,170,126 Cleophas Aug. 22, 1939 2,457,476 Kaplan Dec. 28, 1948 2,493,864 Forman Jan. 10, 1950 

